Friday rambles

I’ve resisted turning on the heat in the cabin these past few days, even though the nights are down in the 40’s. When I turn the heat on, I prefer it to be when the weather will stay cold. So I’ve been wearing sweaters in the house and socks to bed. Today is warming up nicely towards 70 degrees and the weekend will be above 70. The cabin will be warmer and that moment when I have to turn the heat on is still a ways away.

The nights were cold enough this week that I’ve brought in most of my plants that summer outside. The cactus come in first, then the ferns. I still have a tree and a philodendron outside. They will return to their winter quarters sometime this weekend.

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When I’m busy, as I’ve been this past week, I don’t have nearly as much time to spend outside as I’d like. So I find time for little mini-visits around some of the natural areas around me. Sometimes, they are nothing more than a very slow drive along a Roundtop access road, looking for something interesting. Sometimes before work I park the car in the dirt parking lot and scan the sky with my binoculars for a few minutes. Sometimes I find a good rock or stump and sit for 3-5-10 minutes before work.

None of these aren’t substitutes for a good walk in the woods, but even a few quiet minutes in the forest betters my mood. And I very often get to see something that makes the little side trip worthwhile, whether it’s a bird or the deer or a fox or an interesting plant. A few minutes can make all the difference in my day.